The high decibel political battle between the rival Shiv Sena groups continues, with both the camps seeking appointments for the Shiv Sena’s Chief Whip in the Maharashtra Legislative Council.
While Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Tuesday wrote a letter to Legislative Council deputy chairperson seeking that MLC Viplove Bajoria be made the Shiv Sena’s chief whip in the Upper House, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray on 23 February wrote a letter seeking the appointment of MLC Vilas Potnis as chief whip.
Currently, Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) MLC Anil Parab is the party’s chief whip in the House.
Neelam Gorhe, deputy chairperson of Legislative Council, is yet to take a decision on this.
Speaking to reporters in Vidhan Bhavan premises on Tuesday, she said, “I have not taken any decision on the letter written by Chief Minister Eknath Shinde regarding the appointment of Viplove Bajoria as the new chief whip.
“There are several departments of the Vidhan Bhavan that would first study Supreme Court directives in this regard and then a decision will be taken on Shinde’s letter.”
Gorhe, a senior legislator, is part of the Thackeray camp.
While the Shinde-led group has support of more MLAs than the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray), the equation is exactly opposite in the Legislative Council where the latter outnumbers the former.
The Budget session of the Maharashtra legislature began on Monday.
Notably, during a hearing in the Supreme Court last week over the Uddhav Thackeray faction’s plea challenging the decision of the Election Commission recognising the Shinde-led bloc as the real Shiv Sena, senior advocate N K Kaul, appearing for the Shinde bloc, assured the SC bench it will not take steps like issuing whip or initiation of disqualification proceedings against lawmakers – MLAs, MLCs and MPs – of the Thackeray faction for the time being.
(With PTI inputs)
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